Northeastern Junior College to honor four retirees next week

Honorees represent 71 years of service to NJC

Northeastern Junior College will honor four retirees during a reception to be held on Monday, May 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the E.S. French Atrium. The retirees represent a combined 71 years of service at the college.

The reception will include refreshments and some brief remarks made about each honoree, the presentation of a farewell gift, and each retiree will be given an opportunity to make some parting comments. The program portion of the reception happens shortly after 3 p.m. so if you want to hear this portion of the event, show up early. Others are invited to stop by the event and come and go until 5 p.m.

To be honored on Monday will be Barbara Baker, who completes 18 years of continuous service in a permanent position. She joined the Admissions office in October 1997 and worked there for four years, then was named the director of the office in 1999. In 2001, during a restructuring of personnel on campus, she was named Director of Marketing Services. Baker was responsible for almost all of the public information and marketing related activities at the college, including promotion for student recruitment and enrollment as well as college events, programs and activities. She was named the Administrative Professional Employee of the Year in 2010.

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Kala Doane retired Nov. 30, 2015, after 21 years of continuous service to Northeastern Junior College, agriculture producers, and farm families in the region. She spent all 21 years as an instructor in the Agriculture Business Management (ABM), formerly Farm Business Management (FBM) program, teaching computerized farm accounting and agriculture business financial analysis. The worked involved a great deal of "one on one" instruction at the student's home or business which required extensive travel throughout the five county service area of the college. Although her duties kept her away from campus most days, she was always present at major events and programs for on campus students. Doane assisted with the district FFA CDE competitions for over 20 years and developed computerized entry and tabulation processes for the crops contest. She is widely known for her amazing impersonation of country comedian "Minnie Pearl" and delighted many audiences over the years at banquets and receptions. She also was a Founders Status member of the National Farm and Ranch Business Management Education Association since 1998. She was recognized in 2002 by the agriculture department for her outstanding service and was bestowed the NACTA Teacher of Merit award. She was selected as the faculty member of the year in the agriculture division in 2011.

Brenda Rhodes, Department Chair for Business and Cosmetology and Business Professor, will retire in May with 16 years of continuous service. She has been instrumental in career and technical education through her work as an educator and was involved in Future Business Leaders of America at the collegiate level. Brenda has been recognized with a number of awards throughout her teaching career including Colorado ACTE Merit Award to an Educator, 2013; ACTE Region 5 Finalist for Career Technical Educator of the Year, 2006; Colorado Career and Technical Educator of the Year, 2005; Faculty of the Year, Northeastern Junior College, 2005; Colorado FBLA Adviser of the Year, 1994 and was honored at the CACTE Hall of Fame in 2015.

Kathy Rice completes 17 years of continuous service in a permanent position. Kathy worked for the Admissions office from 1979 to 1980 and was part of the college's study skills staff from 1990 to 1991. Kathy started as an administrative assistant in the Bank of Colorado Event Center when it first opened. She moved to the residence life office in 1999 and has held various positions since that time. A native of Logan County, Rice had left Sterling several times but has always returned to this area. Kathy was an administrative assistant in the Student Services area when she was named Classified Staff of the Year in 2009. She also served as the Assistant Registrar from 2010 to 2012 and was currently working as the Assistant Director of Human Resources until her retirement.

The retirement reception at Northeastern is open to the public and everyone is invited. If you worked with these individuals, had them as an instructor, or if they played a role in your decision to attend Northeastern, your presence will be a nice addition to the event.

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